The Strangers
by SporksFace19
Summary: We open on the end of summer, 1971, where we follow James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter as their lives collide and become the story behind the story of the Boy Who Lived. No pairs as of now. They're 11, and girls are icky. R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi. I'm back peeps, with a venngence and a brand-new Marauders' fanfic! It's a beautiful thing ladies and gents. I will also be revamping my older fanfic. So without further ado, my dear peoples, here is chapter one of The Strangers (vol. 1 of 7)!

Chapter 1:

It was half past 5 o'clock in the afternoon. James Potter sat on the front porch of their summer home, chucking Dungbombs across the yard, aiming at nothing in particular. He hated the summer house. There was nothing to do. There was never anything to do.

Actually, there was plenty of stuff to do; he was just not allowed to do those things. _Eleven-year-olds _couldn't fish in the lake out back. _Eleven-year-olds _couldn't go out to the beach alone. Eleven-year-olds couldn't do _anything_. He couldn't wait to turn twelve. Then, he would be grown up, and his parents would have to let him do everything he wanted to.

A sharp bark echoed across the lawn. James looked up. His dog was scrapping with a nearby raccoon over what appeared to be a sliver of meat. The raccoon put the meat between its teeth and knocked the dog over the head with its paws. The puppy released the meat with a whimper and watched the raccoon scamper off. James's mother had bought him the Crup a few weeks ago to protect him. James laughed. Stupid thing couldn't even fight off a raccoon.

"Come here, Bogey!" he said, jumping off of the porch. "Come here, boy!"

Hearing James's voice, the dog scurried excitedly towards him, tripping over his tiny paws twice in the process. He launched himself at James and licked his face enthusiastically, his forked tail wagging behind him. They would have to cut it off soon; he was almost 6 weeks old. His parents had promised him it wouldn't hurt Bogey at all. He would never forgive them if it did. Dense as the dog was, it was his only friend at the moment, and James intended to keep him as happy as possible.

"Well, boy, what do you want to do?" he asked. Bogey barked and picked up where he had left off. James picked the dog up and held him away. "I meant besides licking my face. Are you hungry? Do you want food?" Bogey barked again. "Come on, let's go and get some food."

James slung Bogey over his shoulder and carried him inside. He strolled into the kitchen and pulled down a plate of leftover food from lunch. He placed it on the floor and set Bogey down in front of it. The dog immediately began chomping down as much food as it could at one time. James sat down at the table and sighed as he rested his chin in the crevice between his folded arms.

"James, darling, are you in?"

"Kitchen, Mum," he said.

His mother drifted into the kitchen, her long silk housedress flowing behind her. She was tall and thin, with pale eyes and silvery curls that fell over her shoulders. She spared him a smile and sat down beside him. "What's the matter, darling?"

"I'm bored!" James groaned. She ran her fingers through his unruly hair. "There's nothing I can do here. Can't we just go back home?"

"Are you really all that unhappy here, my little mucky pup?"

"Yes," he said. He shook his mother's hand off of his head and sat up. "And don't call me that. I'm not a baby anymore, Mum."

"Well, you will _always_ be my baby, but all right," she said, "If you wish." She crouched down beside his chair and turned his face to hers. "James, I love you, and the last thing I want is for you to be unhappy, but—"

James made a frustrated noise and started to turn away; she pulled him back, holding on to his shoulders. "But the new neighbors are coming to have dinner with us tonight. They have a son your age, named Peter, I think. He seems like a delightful little boy. The two of you may get along." James made another frustrated noise and looked away. "Darling, if after tonight you still want to go home, we'll go. Straight away tomorrow morning. All right?"

James sighed deeply. "All right."

"That's my boy," she said, smiling widely at him, the wrinkles of her lined face deepening as she did. She took his hand and stood up. "Come, let me get you washed up and dressed for dinner. You're absolutely filthy. What have you been doing outside all day?"

He looked down at his hands and smiled guiltlessly at his mother. "Oh…nothing."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So I forgot to mention the assistance from Monaivendork in my last chapter. She is awesome! She is kind of like my very own beta reader. Also writes her own stuff which you should read, especially if you are into Superman. I am, in fact, shamelessly plugging my friend's work. Sorry but I owe her. Big time. Also, I will be trying to update on a regular interval. Key word: trying. I'm a biology major in college and so I am usually very busy but I will be working on this as much as I possibly can. So ANYWAY without further ado, here is chapter two (oh shit i'm rhyming now!).

Chapter 2:

Sirius Black stared vacantly out the window of his room. It had been a few days since he had received his letter, though it felt like it had been an eternity. He had been waiting for the day he received his school letter since last year. His birthday was only 12 days short of the deadline, and because of that he had to wait another year to attend school. He couldn't wait to get out of the miserable prison he called home and away from the annoyances he called family. September seemed a lifetime away to him, and it couldn't come too soon.

"Sirius!"

His mother's shrill screech of a voice pierced the sanctuary of his room. Sirius rolled his eyes, sighed and got up.

"Sirius!" she shrieked again.

"I'm coming!" he barked. He tramped down the stairs and into the large drawing room. His mother was slung across a moss-green settee and his father was sitting in the large plush armchair in the corner, his face buried behind the pages of the _Prophet_.

"Answer me next time," his mother said. "Are you packed?"

Sirius gave her a blank look. "No. Why should I be?"

"Because Bella is coming to pick you up and I do not want her to have to wait for your things to be packed."

"Why would Bellatrix be coming to—?"

"Because your aunt and uncle generously offered to take care of you until school begins. I've told you this. Now, go upstairs and find Kreacher. Tell him to pack your things."

"But—"

"Now!"

Sirius turned briskly and left the same way he had come in. He hurried upstairs to pack the things he wanted to bring to school himself. The thought of Kreacher packing for him was too much. Leaving early wouldn't be too bad. His aunt and uncle were just as bad as his parents, but at least there was someone there for him to talk to. He slammed his trunk shut and headed downstairs. As he went down, he could make out the voices of his mother, his father, and his cousin, Bellatrix.

"Oh, yes, ma'am. We're all delighted to have him. And I will definitely keep an eye on him for you. I won't let him spend too much time around my sister."

"Thank you, Bella, darling. I have heard dreadful things about her lately. Arguing and deliberately disobeying your mother and father."

"I don't understand why my brother puts up with it."

"I have seen it coming for ages. Since she was sorted out of Slytherin. The girl is a bad seed. I don't want my son to get the impression that that kind of behavior is tolerable. So thank you again, darling, you are certainly a fine example for him."

"It is my pleasure."

Sirius peered through the archway. His parents hadn't moved since he left. Bellatrix was leaning against one of the many plush armchairs in the room with one foot crossed over the other. She looked very much like his uncle. She was tall, dark and slender with his heavily-lidded, intense grey eyes and strong jaw. Of the three sisters, Bella was considered to be the most refined. He had to hand it to her; she was quite convincing.

He cleared his throat. They stopped talking to turn their attention to him, and his mother called for Kreacher. A house elf with a long, snoutlike nose appeared in the center of the room with a sound like the crack of a whip. He sank into a ridiculously low bow to all of them.

"What can Kreacher do for his mistress?" the elf asked.

"Bring my son's trunk to Cyprus and Druella's house."

"We can bring it," Sirius said. He didn't want Kreacher touching anything of his. The slimy little wretch had a way of annoying him like no one else could.

"Don't be ridiculous, son, that's much too much trouble to put dear Bella through. I'm sure she doesn't want to fly with your trunk. Besides, it's Kreacher's job to do those kinds of things. The answer is no, Sirius," his mother said as he opened his mouth to protest again. Kreacher clutched Sirius's trunk in his hands and vanished with a crack like a whip.

His mother stood and kissed both him and Bella formally on each cheek. "Behave yourself. Have a good school year, and write to me once you've been sorted. I want to know everything. Bella, it was a pleasure to see you again, darling. You have a good year as well."

"Thank you, Aunt Wallburga. I'll try. See you at Christmas," Bella said after giving his mother a fleeting embrace. She crossed to his father and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodbye, Uncle Orion."

"Goodbye, Bella. See you."

Bellatrix put her hand on Sirius's shoulder, spun him around, and led him out. As they walked out the door, her hold constricted.

"That hurts," Sirius said, giving his cousin's hand a tug. She ignored him. He pulled on her hand again. She tightened her grip further.

"Bella, stop it!" he demanded. She relented somewhat, but she still retained a firm grasp on his shoulder. "Let me go!"

Bellatrix stopped abruptly and stood in front of him. "Listen, and listen well, because I'm only going to say this once. I am not your mother or father. I am far, far worse. You are in my world now, little cousin, and what I say goes. Understand?" she asked. He nodded silently. "Good. Now be a good little boy and shut it, or I'll drop you over King's Cross."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hooray! Chapter 3...my Lily chapter. I'd like to give a big thank you to all who read the last two chapters. I'd also like to take this time to ask that you guys review. Like it...don't like it (not that I'm asking for flames, but constructive criticism is nice)...whatever. I'm not a very inwardly motivated person when it comes to things like this. I'll keep writing, but if I don't get any feedback, I'll stop posting. So if you like it and you want to read more, please let me know. Otherwise, you won't be seeing very much more of it. So that's that, and now...on to the story!

Chapter 3:

Lily opened her eyes and sat up in her bed. The summer sun shone brightly through the heavy slats of her window shade. She drew the shade up and opened the window. Outside, birds and bugs were chirping. Down the street, Lily could hear the laughter of the Wilson's children as they jumped over sprinklers and chased each other with hoses.

Lily grabbed her favorite sundress and a pair of sandals out of her closet and headed for the restroom, leaving the window open. She dressed quickly and examined her appearance critically. It suddenly struck her how much she had grown since she last wore the dress. It was faded tan with dark green trimming, and it used to reach her knees. Now it was somewhere near the middle of her thighs. Feeling a little self-conscious, she went back to her room and pulled on a pair of cutoff jeans underneath. Then, she headed downstairs to the kitchen. Inside she found her father sitting at the table, reading the newspaper.

"Good morning, Lily," he said cheerfully.

"Morning, Dad. Where's Mum and Tuney?" she said, helping herself to the porridge and rolls on the counter. Her father folded his newspaper and set it aside.

"She's working, and she brought Petunia with her. She said she needed help filing her logs. I was supposed to be off today, but I just got called in, so I'll have to leave you alone. Now I know that doesn't bother you, but you know your mother. She's a bit of a worrier. She said they'd be back around three, so I'll need you to cover for me. Say I went to the market for milk. Something like that," he replied as she sat down beside him.

"All right, but this time, try to remember to actually bring the milk," Lily said. Her father grinned and kissed her forehead.

"I'll try. See you tonight, sweetheart," he said, heading for the front door. She shouted good-bye and he closed the door behind him. She was alone. She put down her biscuit and stared out the window. The birds chirped and twittered happily outside.

Lily knew when she was alone, she was supposed to stay inside, but she hadn't seen her friend Severus in ages. And besides, she was going to bring him back to her house straight away. She'd only be gone for a moment.

She pushed back and got up out of her seat. Trying to hurry herself out before she changed her mind, she left her breakfast as it was and left. She felt the heat of the sun on her skin. It had been quite some time since she had traveled down this street. She passed by the playground where she and Petunia often occupied in summers before. Now, though, it seemed that Petunia wanted nothing to do with her.

She continued down the street and cut through an alley between what used to be a candy store and Old Man Wilkrye's house. From there she followed two streets down and one left until she reached Spinner's End.

To the rest of the neighborhood, it was considered the bad part of town. The houses were decrepit, the streets were cracked and worn, and the people who lived there generally weren't the type one would want to associate themselves with. Not quite the type of place a pretty little girl should be wondering around alone in.

However, this thought never really crossed Lily's mind. She was too busy figuring out how she was going to get Severus's attention to sneak him out of the house. When she reached Sev's house at the end of the street, she was still stumped. She sat down on the curb, racking her brain for a solution. The loud yells and crashes that were emanating from the house were a huge distraction.

She stared at a small piece of rubble down at her feet. And then, she had an idea. She gathered up a handful of rubble from a nearby pothole and scrambled across the yard to the bare oak tree. Now devoutly thankful she had grown over the summer, she stuffed the rocks in the pocket of her cutoffs and scaled the bark. She pulled herself up onto the great, twisted branch that was just half a meter short of Severus's bedroom window and slowly moved herself forward towards the edge.

Lily gathered a bit of gravel from her pocket and chucked it as hard as she could at Sev's window. The miniature rocks clacked against the glass and fell down to the ground. She waited. Nobody came. She tried again and again and again. And the result was the same. In a mixture of anxiety and fear for her friend, Lily grabbed the rest of the rocks in her pocket and launched them as hard as she could possibly muster at the window. In hindsight, she realized that this probably wasn't the best idea.

Instead of the clatter of pebbles against glass, there was a short 'ow!'. Lily looked up to see her friend Severus staring at her with several rocks still stuck to his forehead.

"I'm not sure what I did to deserve that," he said, brushing the debris from his face and hair, "but I'm sure there was a reason."

"Sev I am so sorry!" Lily whimpered.

"It's alright. Climb down, I'll meet you there." He said and closed the window behind him. She looked at the window questioningly for a moment; then, she shrugged and climbed down the twisted oak. She reached the last knot, hopped off, and turned around to see Severus standing inches away from her. "Sorry, I underestimated how close I was to the tree."

"How did you get down so fast?" she asked.

"The trellis that runs down the front of the house is right below my other window. Come on, let's get out of here before he realizes I'm gone." Severus grabbed her hand and pulled her quickly through an alley to a street that ran parallel to his. "So, where are we going?"

"My house," she replied. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Tuney went to work with my mum, and my dad left, and now I'm all by myself, and there is _way_ too much breakfast for me to eat alone. So I guess what I'm getting at is, do you like porridge and biscuits?"

Severus smiled. "I love porridge."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I love this chapter. Why you ask? Well, because I love Remus. A (not so) quick note on OCs (If you have no problems with them, then feel free to skip all of this): I do have them, and with GOOD reason. Please don't let that scare you off. Artemis is, in no way, a Mary-Sue. Romulus isn't a male version of this either (I know what it's called, but I can't remember right now). There's not too much extraordinary about them. Though she's bright, Artemis is, in a lot of ways, just a normal little girl who happens to befriend everyone's favorite werewolf. Romulus is a great wizard, but we aren't talking Dumbledore or Moody or even Kingsley great. I don't want you to think that because their names were not in the books (as characters anyway) that they are going to ruin the story. The way I see it, any good Marauders story has some original characters. Even characters that we only get a glimpse of in the books, and we often don't get a very good idea of their personality from those short scenes. For example, the only times we see Frank and Alice, they are either insane or in a photograph. Their personalities need to be almost completely invented. Anyway, I wanted to throw that out there. I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy the story. And **PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW**. Also, this is the last chapter that I have already typed up, so they definitely won't be coming in as often. I wanted to establish all of the characters and how they were related before I posted. However, everything is written down in journals somewhere, and I hope to get chapter 5 up by next Monday. Sorry for the ATROCIOUSLY long author's note. On to chapter 4!

Chapter 4:

"Well, London is still stuck in the midst of this horrid heat wave, folks," the radio announced through a crisp crackle. "It should be over soon, but for now it is hot, hot, and hot. But on the up side, skies are clear, and there's a refreshing breeze sweeping in from the north. Tonight, cool with clear skies, giving you a beautiful view of the night sky."

Remus switched off the handheld radio and gazed at the picturesque vineyard in front of him. He couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed the night sky around this part of the month. He gave an involuntary shudder. He thought (or rather, he'd hoped) after seven years he'd be used to the idea, but even now the notion of it still sent chills down his spine.

"Hey, you!"

He looked back. A girl his age stared down at him, her red sundress whipping about her knees in the breeze. Her name was Artemis, and as far as eleven-year-olds go, she was extraordinarily odd. Whether that was a good or bad thing, he had not yet decided. She plopped down beside him.

"I've been looking all over for you. I guess I should have known. Why are you always out here all by yourself?" she asked. He shrugged. She looked at him intently for a moment, and then smiled. "So it's _you_ that keeps stealing my wireless." He held out the small blue handheld, but she pushed it back. "Keep it. If you like it, you can have it. Really, I have two or three more just like it," she added, noticing his reluctant look. He placed the wireless on the grass beside him and gave her a slight smile.

"You're welcome," she said, smiling back. She toppled onto her back suddenly and heaved a large sigh. "You don't like it here much, do you? I mean, you never seem like you want to be here. You look like a sad puppy in a pound, just hoping that someone will come to pull you out of your cage. Or maybe you do like the vineyard, and you just don't like me. You've never spoken to me, and you've known me for two summers. I know you're not a mute or anything. Your brother told me so."

It wasn't that he didn't like the vineyard or her. He didn't mean to give the impression that he didn't want to be there. He was just worried. Before he met her, he'd never really had a friend before, or even anything close to one, aside from his brother, Romulus, and his brother's friend, Frank. So he just kept quiet, and, even though she complained about it a lot, Artemis kept on following him and talking. Quite frankly, he thought she just liked to have someone around to listen to her speak.

"Have you ever laid back and just stared at the clouds?" she asked abruptly. He shook his head. "For some reason that doesn't surprise me. Okay, well, it's about time you did. Lie down." He obliged. He lay down on his back on the warm, dry grass and gazed up at the sky. Unexpectedly, his eyes began to sting. He closed them hastily and sat up. "Oh snap, I'm sorry! I forgot to tell you to squint your eyes at first. It takes a second to get used to. Here, try again," she said, pulling the sleeve of his shirt. He lay back again and slowly opened his eyes. "Better?" she asked. He nodded. "Good. Now, look up at the fluffy ones. Sometimes, they make shapes. You know animals and such. Like that one," she pointed to a cloud drifting lazily over head. "That one looks kind of like a Crup with an elephant trunk or a---"

"There you two are!"

The two sat up straight and looked behind them. A young man with long, light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail trekked up the hill into view.

"Hi, Romulus!" Artemis exclaimed with a wide smile.

"Hey yourself, Thresher," he said cordially. "Your dad wants you to head back. He said dinner's almost ready. Remus, go with her, eat, and gather your things so that we can leave tomorrow afternoon after I finish."

"Why do you guys leave for three days and come back?" Artemis said. "Why don't you just stay? I like it when you guys are here. I have someone to talk to, even if they never talk back," she added, shooting a feigned scowl in Remus's direction.

"I have to go home and check on my father."

"So leave Remus here with me. I'd take good care of him. I'd feed him and everything, I swear."

Romulus laughed. "Feed him and everything, huh?" he said, looking at his younger brother. Making sure he was out of her line of sight, Remus shook his head urgently. "Let me think about that for next time. I'm sure you would, midget, but for now, Remus has to stay with me. I'm responsible for him."

Artemis sighed and said, "Fine. I guess I'll just be bored."

"I'm sure you'll find something to keep you entertained until we come back. Now, go and wash up. I'll see you soon."

Artemis grabbed Remus's wrist and pulled him past his brother and down the hill towards the villa.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Okay, so this took way longer than I expected. With school and Mardi Gras and whatnot, I have had zero time to write. I was hoping to post it sooner, but no such luck. I had a paper to write due yesterday. But today was devoted to you, my readers. And there's more good news. I already have chapter 6 almost done. YAY! So it will be up soon. Promise. Anyway, thanks for your patience, and, as usual, please review.

CH. 5:

After 35 straight minutes of scrubbing "something" out of James's hair, his mother officially deemed that he was, in fact, ready to join the polite society of the dinner table. During this time, Ezra, the house elf, had set the plates and silverware, prepared the meal, and even lit the table with two long white candles on either side of the centerpiece.

"Everything looks lovely," Evelyn said, looking around as though she had never entered her dining room. "Simply wonderful, Ezra."

"Ezra is happy her mistress is happy," Ezra squeaked with a wide smile.

"Oh and I am very happy with this."

James paced around the dinner table, examining the china and silver utensils. "Why haven't I seen these before?" he asked, picking up a fork and examining it closely. "Mum? Mu-u-um!" he exclaimed, banging the fork on the table.

"Yes, James?" she said quickly, turning away from Ezra who instantly vanished with a _'pop!' _

"Why haven't I seen these?" he said, holding the fork in front of him. She sighed and put the fork back on the table.

"Because, darling, this is the fancy dinner china. There's no need to eat from it every night."

"Why not?" James said. His mother was shook her head silently as she went into the kitchen. "What's the point of having it if we aren't going to eat with it? And what makes it so—"

"So I said, 'Now, see, Minister? That's why I told you not to lick the pumpkin!'" James father's voice floated into the dining room, followed by the sound of laughter. James rolled his eyes as his father entered, followed by a portly man with a wispy grey hair and a bowler and a squat woman, presumably his wife, with mousy brown hair. "Ah, well. Evelyn must be in the kitchen." James looked around, alarmed once he realized he was alone. "I'm sure she'll be out in a moment. This is my son, James. James, this is Mr. and Mrs. Pettigrew." The couple nodded to him in unison. James drew back towards the doorframe, in spite of himself, and looked up at his father, who regarded him sternly and said, "Now, son, don't be rude. Go on and say hello."

"Hello," James said, remaining in his fixed position against the doorframe. His father laughed and shook his head.

"What's gotten into you, boy?" James called him over with his finger. His father rolled his eyes but oblidged. "What is it?"

"They creep me out," James whispered.

Harold laughed. "Nonsense," he said. He grabbed James's hand and pulled him towards the pair at the door. "Now, give them a proper hello."

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Pettigrew," he said vacantly. "I'm told you live next door. It's lovely to meet you. Ta now." He slowly backed towards the archway until he connected with something solid. He spun around to see a short, thick-set boy with blonde hair and small, watery eyes. "Who are you?" James said, stepping back quickly.

"Well," squeaked Mrs. Pettigrew, smiling down at James. "That's Pettigrew number 3."

"They're just popping up everywhere now," James said, staring at his father. "Soon, they're going to be oozing out of the walls. You could've said something, you know," he added to the boy. "A little forewarning would've been nice. Might've prevented...collision."

"Sorry," he said in a quiet, squeaky voice, quite similar to his mother's, "I'm a little shy."

"So you hide behind me?" James said incredulously. The boy sighed and stared down at his feet. His face and ears were red as a cherry beneath his thin hair. James looked up at his father who gave him a little 'go on' motion, and then he looked back at the boy. The poor thing was pitiful. He looked like he'd never seen another person his size before. James sighed and extended his hand. "I'm James."

The boy looked up at James's hand as though it were the best gift he'd ever received. He quickly wiped his own hand off on the front of his robe and shook James's eagerly. "I'm Peter. Peter Pettigrew." He laughed nervously and shuffled his feet as he pulled his hand back. "But you know that already. The Pettigrew part. Not the Peter part. At least I don't think you—"

James held out his hand to silence him. Peter looked flustered. "Did I…did I mess up?" he asked miserably. "I messed up already, didn't I? Oh, I always, always do this. I talk too much and I—" James held out his hand again. Peter looked around silently, his face blanched and sweaty.

"Peter, do you like Quidditch?" James asked. Peter nodded but didn't make a sound. "Would you like to see my collection of Quidditch cards?" Peter nodded again, fervently. "Come on, then." James led Peter through the archway and up the stairs to his room.

Mr. and Mrs. Pettigrew exchanged ecstatic looks and then gave Harold Potter a united smile. "Thank you so much for introducing him to our son," Mr. Pettigrew said. His wife nodded.

"This is the first time someone has actually given him a chance," she said in a low voice.

Harold shrugged. "I really didn't do anything but bring you over. The rest was entirely up to James _and Peter_." Mrs. Pettigrew gave an elated squeak, and the three sat down at the table.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I told you I'd post again soon. And I deliver. Long chapter. Longest I've posted as of yet. Many bad words. Teenage girls and their bad mouths...tsk tsk. Anyways, reviews are very much appreciated, so if you read, please do so. Now, on to chapter 6!

Chapter 6:

The short flight to his aunt's and uncle's house seemed to take ages. When they finally arrived, Bellatrix told him to go inside while she put away her broom. Not too quick to forget their earlier conversation, Sirius followed her instructions and went in. The moment he entered the sitting room, he was greeted by a deafening scream from the kitchen. Suddenly, his cousin, Andromeda, stormed through the door on the far right. She was followed closely by her sister, Narcissa. Both girls were pink in the face and clearly infuriated with one another.

"Just go away, Narcissa!"

"Oh, you'd love that, wouldn't you?"

"Actually, nothing would make me happier."

"You two are still fighting?"

Narcissa and Andromeda fell silent as Bellatrix entered the room. She sat down sideways in one of the large, plush chairs, letting her long, graceful legs hang over the side. Her sisters looked at her in anticipation. She asked lazily, "What is it about this time?"

"She stole my bracelet," Narcissa said. "You remember the one mother and father bought _me_ for _my birthday_ last year. She stole it because she lost hers."

"This is _my_ bracelet," Andromeda said. "We all got one just like it. The only difference is the initials on the back. I could be wrong, but I'm fairly certain your initials aren't A.E.B., Narcissa."

Narcissa looked slightly taken aback for a moment, but she recovered quickly and retorted, "She probably changed those."

"I couldn't have changed them if I tried!"

Narcissa didn't acknowledge her. She looked at Bellatrix expectantly, who sighed and said, "Cissy, she couldn't have. First of all, she's not of age…or bright enough to concoct it herself. Secondly, there is a charm on the bracelet to keep the initials set, so even if she were to think of that, she wouldn't be nearly skilled enough to change them. Why don't you have the elf look for it?"

Narcissa didn't seem satisfied with that answer, but she rolled her eyes and, turning on her heel, went into the kitchen, calling loudly for the house elf. Andromeda also turned on her heel and walked swiftly up the stairs. Sirius started after her, but before he could get past her chair, Bellatrix stopped him.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked, looking up at him. "You heard your mother. You are not to speak to Andromeda."

"So, what am I supposed to do?" Sirius said. He wanted to get as far away from Bellatrix as possible as soon as he could.

"You can go upstairs and sit in your room. Do whatever you want in there, I couldn't care less."

"I'm guessing this isn't up for debate."

"Well, you certainly catch on quickly, don't you?" Bella said. Sirius turned and climbed up the stairs. He rounded the top corner, sat against the banister and looked around. The house hadn't changed a bit since he was a little boy. The ceilings were high and sloped, the floors were made of a dark wood and were always clean and polished, and the walls were lined with a silk the color of moss.

In the center of the wall opposite the staircase was a large, marble fireplace. Hanging above it was an enormous family portrait, which he suddenly realized he had never taken the time to observe properly. He looked at his cousin's door at the end of the hallway. He needed to give her some time to cool off before he went to see her. Bella always brought out the worst in Andy, and he had no desire whatsoever to see her at her worst. He turned his attention to the portrait, which was remaining unusually quiescent.

His uncle sat at the upper right: tall, lean, and dark with heavily-lidded eyes the color of slate, a strong jaw, and a prominent brow. His aunt was sitting beside him, to his left: she was slender and pale and remarkably beautiful; she had long, blonde hair, full lips, and a pair of wide eyes that could put sapphires to shame. Before the two of them, in a straight row, sat the child-versions of his three cousins.

Directly in front of her father sat Bellatrix. She must have been about seven-years-old at the time. Even then, she bore a striking resemblance to her father. Her long dark hair fell evenly over her shoulders and down the front of her royal blue robes.

Sitting in the center, in stylish robes of pale pink, was Narcissa. She looked about three, but she hadn't changed a bit since. Her blonde hair was shoulder-length and so pale it was almost white. She looked as much like her mother as Bella did her father.

That meant Andromeda was to the far left, in front of her mother. She couldn't have been more than five, and she couldn't have looked more different. Her hair was honey-blonde and fell in wispy little ringlets around her face and shoulders, both of which were adorned with subtle, sparse freckles, and she had a broad smile on her face. The only thing about his cousin that hadn't changed was her bold blue eyes.

It was, perhaps, the oddest thing Sirius had ever seen. This portrait didn't behave like other portraits he was familiar with. Its inhabitants never spoke with each other, much less the residents of the house. The only communication between his aunt and uncle was the happy looks and loving glances they exchanged with one another and their children. The two younger girls, however, passed a stuffed unicorn between them. Andromeda held it for a while, and then passed it on to Narcissa. When Narcissa was finished playing with it, she would give it back to Andromeda. All the while, Bellatrix sat back and watched them, smiling contentedly and looking amused. Sirius couldn't remember a time when his cousins got along, and the thought of such a thing was disturbing to consider.

He stood up and shook off his present train of thought. He headed towards Andromeda's room. Normally, he would do what Bella said, but she seemed a bit preoccupied. She hadn't threatened him or smiled that little smile of hers that always meant pain for the recipient. Obviously, she had something else on her mind, and she wasn't paying any attention to him.

He raised his hand and knocked quietly on Andromeda's door.

"Go _away!_" her voice called impatiently from inside.

"Come on, Andy," Sirius whispered through the keyhole. The door opened quickly, and Andromeda pulled him inside. She shut the door behind her and hugged him tightly.

"When did you get here?" she asked as she let him go.

"About fifteen minutes ago, but you were too busy to notice me," he said, sitting down on her wide bed. "You're a thief now, I see."

"I'm a thief…and a cow…and a slut, apparently."

"Wow, and all this happened over the summer?"

"You bet. I have really gone downhill, little cousin. Next thing you know I'll be hanging around with Mudbloods and Muggles," Andromeda said vaguely, seating herself on the corner of her desk.

Of all of his relatives, she was definitely one of his favorites. Not because she wasn't warped (she was as twisted as the rest of them), but because she was different. She was reasonable, outspoken, and the only other person in his immediate family that found the pure blood hierarchy a bunch of hogwash.

If nothing else, the fact that she was the only person who had ever stood up to Bella was enough to earn his respect. It had also earned her a scar across the length of her back. He remembered seeing it before it had healed. The gash was a little over an inch deep; the area where the cut crossed her spine had left the bones exposed. Apparently this effect had been produced by cutting centimeters of skin for about half a minute at a time. Bellatrix must have been beside herself with delight. And, of course, it was easy to lie about how Andy got it. Bella said she fell out of a tree. Her parents blindly believed her. Since then, Andromeda had learned to pick her battles with Bellatrix. Narcissa, however, was fair game and quite easy game as well.

Someone rapped sharply on the door. Both of them jumped. Andy gestured for Sirius to hide in her closet. As soon as he had closed the closet door behind him, the door to her room unlocked and swung open. Enter Bella, looking peeved.

"Didn't you hear me knocking?" he heard Bella ask. He cracked the door open a bit so that he could see the two of them.

Andy shrugged. "Sorry, I'm a little too dull to realize what I was hearing. I'll try to remember for next time, but I wouldn't count on it if I were you."

"You are so lucky I have more important things to do than deal with you right now."

"Like snog your boyfriend?"

"You really have a death wish, don't you?

"I want you to kill me more than you realize, Bella."

"I'll make you regret saying that."

"Oh, would you, Bella? Really and truly?"

"Anything for you, my dear little sister. And in return, you're going to watch that little runt down the hall we call a cousin. Oh, and you're not allowed to speak to him."

Andy jumped off her desk. "Why the hell not?"

"His mother thinks you're a bad influence on the boy. I can't say I blame her, seeing as you are a thieving whore."

"I'm not about to sit and stare at someone I can't even speak to. Get Cissy to do it."

"Narcissa is at her friend's house for the night."

"By friend you mean Malfoy, I assume. And _I'm _the whore of the family? No. No way in hell, Bella, I'm not doing shit."

"Well, that's a shame," Bellatrix said, and for the first time that night, her trademark smile made its way across her face. She reached into her robe and pulled out a glittering golden bracelet with the initials N.D.B. carved into the back side of a diamond studded gold plate. "Wouldn't it be wonderful for you if this were to miraculously reappear?" Andy stared blankly at the bracelet for a moment before sighing in defeat. "That's a good girl. He's down the hall, first spare room. You know where I'll be if you need me. _Don't_ need me." She turned sharply and left, slamming the door behind her.

Sirius emerged from the closet and slowly approached Andy, who was staring at her door as though she had never detested anything more in her life.

"You knew Bella had that bracelet, didn't you?" he asked. She nodded silently and sat down on her bed. "They treat you like shit."

"Watch your mouth."

"Andy, come on, my mouth is not the issue here!" Sirius said incredulously.

Andy sighed and said, "I know."

"So do something about it."

"What would you have me do, Sirius? Please tell me. I'm all ears."

"Leave!"

She fidgeted for a moment with the corner of her pale satin comforter. "I can't just leave, Sirius. I have nowhere to go. I have no money of my own. I'm just not ready to do that. And besides, like it or not, they are my family. I can't just leave them."

"Why not? I would."

She smiled sadly at him. "I wouldn't expect you to understand. You're too young."

"If it counts for anything, I'd pick you over Bella any day," he said, playing with the model of the planets on her desk.

"You say that now, but give it a few years and you'll be seeing Bella as perfection made human," she said, toying with the clasp of her bracelet. "Just like everyone else."

He sent Saturn on a whirlwind trip around the sun as he turned to her indignantly. "Will not!"

Andromeda smiled. "Will too."

"Will not."

"Will too."

"Will not, will not, will not!"

"Will too, will too, will—" She was interrupted by a dull _thud!_ from the wall that separated her room from Bellatrix's. She looked at it curiously. "They usually charm the room so that no one can hear what's going on inside," she said quietly. There was another _thud!_ and the sound of shattering glass. "Pity. I always liked that vase."

"Andy?"

"Okay," she turned to Sirius and said, "You hungry?"

"Starving," he lied. He knew Andromeda's way to get him out from anywhere was to offer him food, and it usually worked quite well. At the moment, however, his appetite was far gone.

"On to the kitchen, then," she said. He followed her downstairs, neither of them making a sound. They went through the large sitting room, past a cloak that was now lying on the floor in front of the house entrance, and into the door Andy had stormed out of when he had arrived.


End file.
